


The Talk

by SpringZephyr



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gender-neutral Reader, Light Angst, Mammon Needs Reassurance, Other, Self-Esteem Issues, Talking, money issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 18:20:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29229876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpringZephyr/pseuds/SpringZephyr
Summary: “I don't deserve ya.”You look up from your notebook to look at Mammon instead, who appears just as defeated as he sounds. The two of you are supposed to be studying, but it looks as though Mammon has something else on his mind.
Relationships: Main Character/Mammon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!), Mammon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)/Reader
Comments: 4
Kudos: 154





	The Talk

**Author's Note:**

  * For [otomekaidii](https://archiveofourown.org/users/otomekaidii/gifts).



> Based off the sentence prompt: “All the money in the world can’t make you happy. How am I supposed to?” 
> 
> I dedicate this to Kaidii, basically because they're a nice person. I'm not sure if this is one of my better stories, but I certainly did write it?

“I don't deserve ya.”

You look up from your notebook to look at Mammon instead, who appears just as defeated as he sounds. The two of you are supposed to be studying, but it looks as though Mammon has something else on his mind. “Mammon,” you try to sound as playful as you can possibly manage, so you don't betray how worried you are, “Hexes bad, but they aren't _that_ hard.”

“It is an' it's true,” he replies stubbornly.

“Fifteen minute break.” You close the books.

“Fifteen years.”

As much as you love Mammon, this is starting to test your patience. “The test is next week – ”

“I ain't talkin' about the test, and you know it.” Despite whatever ongoing crisis he's currently going through, Mammon doesn't protest when you run a hand through his hair. His knee bumps yours – having hair ruffled instantly relaxes him in most situations – but he quickly takes back the touch, crossing his arms instead. “I'm the scummy, no good Avatar of Greed, and all I do is take from people without ever givin' back.”

That's not true at all. You can think of numerous times Mammon has given, ranging from looking after stray dogs to practically adopting an orphan.

“You're right,” you say slowly, watching his shoulders drop and his jaw fall open. “All the money in the world can't make you happy. How am I supposed to?”

But Mammon never sees those parts of himself, for some reason.

“T-that's what I'm sayin'...!” Mammon replies. “And humans aren't much better, always wantin' more. Big houses, fenced in yards, six figure incomes. If ya stick with me, I'm just gonna... I spend money the second I get my hands on it, and sometimes sooner. No point in botha us drownin' in debt.”

As soon as your hand leaves Mammon's hair, he freezes. It's as if the subject at hand is finally catching up with him, even though he's the one who first mentioned it. His expression goes from shocked to sad once he realizes that hand is not coming back.

Light reflects off the hurt in his eyes, and it bounces back to you like a ricocheted bullet. The problem is, you have to be tactful in telling Mammon he's wrong. If you're not, he'll just ignore whatever you say, and possibly go back to bottling this inside.

“Humans don't necessarily want the fenced in yard or the fancy houses or the money,” you say, knowing very well that gifts and money are two of the ways Mammon tries to win people's affection. “They want the security those things bring. Some of us are happy with the little things.”

You hook your pinky around Mammon's, smiling as he nearly jumps out of his skin at the unexpected contact. The only reason you let go is to start rubbing circles onto the back of his hand with your thumb. Mammon, you've noticed, is very clingy – he likes holding your hand, even in public, where he squirms thinking about all of the people who might be watching you. He might enjoy this as well.

“And the massive piles of debt?”

“I believe in you.”

“Well, I don't."

“Being a little greedy is normal,” you say, “but you need to work on your impulse control. Although I wonder, how could I ever satisfy your needs as well as Goldie does?" You smirk as Mammon starts to protest, cutting him off before he gets an actual coherent word out, "Don't try to hide it. I know Goldie is your first love."

He likes being teased.  _ Teased _ , not bullied.

"Yeah, well, Goldie's a bit heartless sometimes."

And as much as Mammon enjoys the pretense of being in charge, the feeling of being wanted is what he's really after. Maybe he hasn't noticed that  _ you've _ noticed yet, but you know exactly what he desires.

"She doesn't look after you as well as I do, does she? Taking care of you when you're not feeling well…" Mammon's blush deepens with each new item you list, "protecting you from your brothers, hiding you from debt collectors..."

“Oi!” he snaps, when he's blushing so much that he can no longer hide it by looking away. “Don't we still have homework to do? Or do ya really not care that Lucifer's going to murder me in cold blood if I don't pass this test?”

“Are you feeling better?” you ask.

A part of you is expecting him to lie, or claim he didn't almost have an existential breakdown, like the tsundere he is. Mammon surprises you. “We... might need to talk about this later,” he admits. “'I still don't get it, because you're _you_... and I'm... me...”

The two of you manage to get through the assignment, despite the leftover tension in the air. You pretend not to notice it, and Mammon does the same, and you gently stop him from tugging his own hair out of his head at one point – finishing the work is a slow process.

Later comes, and the two of you _don't_ have that talk he promised –

You find Goldie in your pocket instead, and she's carrying another kind of promise from Mammon.


End file.
